RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1877.11.20-21. Ipomœa nil / Draft of Descent, vol. 1. CUL-DAR209.4.183. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 9.2022. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR209.4 contains materials for Darwin's book Movement in plants (1880).
Draft of Descent in the hand of Ebenezer Norman with corrections by Darwin.
"Norman, Ebenezer, 1835/6-1923. 1854- Schoolmaster at Down and from 1856 and many years thereafter copyist for CD. 1856 Aug. 17 First payment for copying in CD's Account book (Down House MS). Many thereafter. CCD6:444. 1857 CD to Hooker, "I am employing a laboriously careful Schoolmaster". CCD6:443. 1858 CD to Hooker, "I can get the Down schoolmaster to do it [i.e. transcribe] on my return". CCD7:130. 1871 Banker's clerk in Deptford." (Paul van Helvert & John van Wyhe, Darwin: A Companion, 2021)
[183]
Nv. 20th Ipomœa nil (3d internode — upper Darkness— Horizontal glass
Quite useless
[data not transcribed]
[183v]
32
Chap VII
ape-like creatures, which had differed as much, or nearly as much, from each other, as the Orang differs from the Gorilla, we it can hardly be doubted that marked difference in the structure of certain some of their bones would still have been discoverable in the races of man as they be now exists.
(one line open)
Although the present races of man differ in many respects, as in colour, hair, shape of skull, proportions of the body &c yet if their whole organisation be taken into consideration they manifestly resemble each other very closely in an infinitude a multitude of points. Many of these points are of so unimportant or of so singular a nature, that it is extremely improbable that they should have been independently acquired by aboriginally distinct species or distinct races.
The same remark holds good with equal or even greater force with respect to the numerous points of mental similarity in between the races of man.
[Descent 1: 231-2: "If the races of man were descended, as supposed by some naturalists, from two or more distinct species, which had differed as much, or nearly as much, from each other, as the orang differs from the gorilla, it can hardly be doubted that marked differences in the structure of certain bones would still have been discoverable in man as he now exists.
Although the existing races of man differ in many respects, as in colour, hair, shape of skull, proportions of the body, &c., yet if their whole organisation be taken into consideration they are found to resemble each other closely in a multitude of points. Many of these points are of so unimportant or of so singular a nature, that it is extremely improbable that they should have been independently acquired by aboriginally distinct species or races. The same remark holds good with equal or greater force with respect to the numerous points of mental similarity between the most distinct races of man."]
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 7 December, 2022